Rocky Billop is a Staten Island, New York-based musical project they say is the “auditory product of an existential crisis.” Rocky combines bedroom pop, synth pop, and lo-fi psychedelia to convey the feelings of struggling through young adulthood. I think that’s excellent – what better way to self-medicate and process emotions than musical therapy?
Rocky’s music can be compared to Dominic Fike, Draft Punk, and The Voidz, and he says it’s what sounds like if Daft Punk produced bedroom pop. I’d also say Rocky’s tunes have a strong Tame Impala vibe. Rocky recently released a new single called “One Way Ticket” on September 20, 2023, that I’m here to tell you about today – along with the rest of their music.
Their use of dreamy modulated chords alongside pop-inspired rhythms mesh with his young, somewhat angsty lyricism on the contemporary state of being a young adult in this bizarre world we’re living in. Rocky lives in the abstract that’s not too far out to become unrelatable nor too broad to be one-dimensional. They’re a middle-of-the-road kind of dude. They make music for those in the most relatable yet hyper-specific niches, such as psychedelic indie pop.
Past songs of Rocky’s like “Never Dream” are about the contrast of one’s past and present self. “Normal Life” is a track detailing the visualization of witnessing their sister live through the trials and tribulations of cancer. “Echoes of Silence” is a song reflecting the sacrifices of the greater goals in life, yet sacrifices that are inside the silver lining of regret.
“One Way Ticket” – the new song – is a short one with strong neo-psychedelic influences. It’s about the excitement of pursuing something without knowing the outcome, which is bound to cause some anxiety.
“Let me take you on a trip/Let me take you so far/We don’t need a car for this/Just jump out and hop in on a limb,” Rocky sings in their smooth falsetto tones. The synth-heavy, soothing, upbeat sounds reminded me of Lil Yatchy’s recent popular psychedelic album, Let’s Start Here, especially in the vocal style.
Rocky played their first show at Hub 17 over the summer alongside artists such as Beanie Weather, Jennie Young, and Inhabitaunt, which brought in more than 50 people – no small feat for small, indie artists. Rocky has a show on November 17th at Berlin Under A, playing alongside Chloe Berry, 02Apollo, and Annabel Asher. Rocky’s goals for this year include playing at least three shows and continuing to release music to build their discography.
Check out Rocky’s new tune, “One Way Ticket,” along with their other music, and support this young artist as they continue to grow, nourish their souls with the healing power of music, and try to reach new listeners.
Support Rocky Billop by finding them on Bandcamp, Soundcloud, and social media (Instagram, TikTok). You can also see all their links here.
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